Key Fantasy Players to Watch in Each Week Two Match-up

Week 1 has come and passed, now we move on to Week 2. Or at least you, the reader, can move on to Week 2. I admittedly still need a bit of time to process the Browns and their tie against Pittsburgh. This is not the place to vent about the lack of jet sweeps and bootlegs, nor to praise Myles Garrett‘s superhuman speed and Denzel Ward‘s giant middle finger to his “they reached for him” critics. No, I will look elsewhere to vent, instead forging ahead into an ever-clearer 2018 fantasy outlook. Or at least as clear as it can be with the re-emergence of Ryan Fitzpatrick! Re-reading my Week One article, I found the format easy to duplicate. So, in my subsequent articles, I’ll continue to look at each individual game, as the game itself is just as, if not more, important to fantasy football as the individual players.

Instead of storylines for each game, I’ll identify three to five key players to watch. This allows you search for players on your own roster should you choose. I’ll then write a paragraph or two explaining how each game may unfold and, of course, how those players will benefit from the action. Hopefully this format resonates with you, if not, please let me know in the comment section. Alright, enough meta-academic dribble, let us delve into the unknown together . . .

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons

The Thursday Night Game between Atlanta and Philadelphia was . . . ugly. More on Philly later, but I was disappointed in the Falcons’ red zone offense. I know it’s en vogue to dump on the Falcons in the red zone and to focus that dumping on the players. I don’t. My ire is directed at the coaching staff. Two plays serve as the perfect microcosm for the coaching mishaps: on the first drive, they went for it on fourth and goal from the one. They called a stretch hand-off with two pulling linemen, giving Philly plenty of time to push Freeman towards the sideline. By the time he made his cut, it was too late and he was stopped in the backfield. I’d rather have seen them either pitch it if they wanted to run outside or pound it between the tackle and guard. Either play has Freeman running with a head full of steam instead of waiting to accelerate. The second play was a pass on third and three from the 15. The score was 10-6. The Eagles blitzed, Ryan rushed his throw, and it was picked. I’d rather a quick throw or screen into the vacated zones. Even if it’s incomplete, kick the filed goal and pull within one. If they don’t fix the red zone play-calling, be wary of Ryan and Freeman.

As for the Panthers, they were able to win their low scoring game against the Cowboys. This week I want to see if Cam Newton pushes the ball down field a bit more. He finished the game 17-26, with 161 passing yards. His longest completion was only for 19 yards. There were a lot of quick throws, screens, and RPOs, not the space-creating, vertical routes Norv Tuner is known for. Let’s see if takes some more shots downfield to Torrey Smith this week. As for McCaffrey, he was a big part of the offense as expected, finishing with 10 carries (second most to Newton’s 13) and 6 receptions on 9 targets. His big red flag was a red zone fumble on third and two. The run came out of the I-formation, where he did have some success throughout the game. But, if he coughs it up again this week, look for CJ Anderson to step in and get those carries. This does not mean McCaffrey should be dropped from anyone’s team, he just loses a bit of value.

Indianapolis Colts at Washington Redskins

If you ever hear a writer talk down the importance of editing, do not believe them. I know because my original article last week took a few pot-shots at Adrian Peterson and Jay Gruden after Gruden’s assertion he wanted to see 30 carries for Peterson. I’m so glad I had a change of heart and gave Peterson (the guy who took like 2 weeks to come back from a torn ACL) the benefit of the doubt. He did not disappoint with 26 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown. He even tacked on two catches for 70 yards. He did have a fumble, but there’s no reason to nit-pick. Interestingly, one of last year’s fantasy darling Chris Thompson had himself a game as well with 5 carries for 65 yards and 6 receptions (on 7 targets) for 63 yards and a touchdown. Alex Smith showed last year how well he plays with two running back threats on his side, so this is a must follow game. Especially as running backs are at a premium these days.

Andrew Luck looked healthy against the Bengals, though I hope Frank Reich won’t have to ask him to throw 53 times again this week. When he does throw, he probably will continue to look Jack Doyle’s way. Doyle picked up where he left off last season with a solid game to open the year. The one red flag was the fumble when the Colts were driving down 27-23. Newcomer Eric Ebron had a 26 yard touchdown. Ever since his three tight-end days at Stanford, Luck has loved throwing to tight-ends. The fear for Doyle owners is what will happen if he fumbles in another key spot, will Ebron steal those receptions? As for Jordan Wilkins, if Reich doesn’t want Luck throwing so many passes, Wilkins is going to need to step up. The line is much better than last year and he needs to take advantage.

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans

Deshaun Watson looks healthy. He did not have a great game, but somehow had Houston a Hail Mary away from tying the Patriots in Foxboro. Look for a huge game from him this week. Lamar Miller has a symbiotic relationship with Watson as he plays significantly better when Watson is on the field. His 20 carries for 98 yards show this trend is not going anywhere. DeAndre Hopkins had another big game and that has me thinking back to my article from last week. Watson is healthy, Miller looks like he’s going to have a big season, and Hopkins is still Hopkins. Someone is going to reap the benefits in the mid-range passing game. Thomas played in a similar system at Mississippi State. Do not go picking him up yet. Just keep an eye on him.

As for the Titans, very little went right for them in Week One. Marcus Mariota got hurt and Delanie Walker is out for the season. With Walker out, Corey Davis should have an even larger role in the passing game, which is probably hard to believe since he was targeted 13 times last week. He is limited in practice this week, but it looks precautionary. Those of us who own him probably want to start him this week so long as all is well. The big stand-out for the Titans last week was Dion Lewis, who played on every third down. He ended up with 16 carries for 75 yards and a touchdown while adding 5 receptions for 35 yards. The Titans are going to need him this week if they have any hope of slowing down the Houston pass rush.

Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Nick Foles did not have a particuarly brilliant follow-up to his MVP winning Super Bowl performance. Fortunately Jay Ajayi’s two touchdown performance bailed him out. With the Bucs offense all of sudden looking like the ’99 Rams, Philly is going to need to run the ball and play keep away. Look for Ajayi to get more than 15 carries this week, especially with Corey Clement and Darren Sproles only gaining a combined 36 yards with their 10 carries (21 of which came on one Clement rush). Now, he can’t carry them all the way, Foles is going to have to extend drives with his arm. With that in mind, keep an eye on Nelson Agholor this week. Even though he only ended up with 33 receiving yards, he did it on 8 receptions. Change one reception to a 40 yard gain, one 20 yarder, and all of a sudden he’s looking at an 8 reception, 93 yard game.

The ’99 Rams is of course an exaggeration, I’m not an idiot (on this topic anyway), but it was a very unexpected clinic on three level passing. DeSean Jackson not only had his usual deep catches, he added in some mid-level receptions as well. So long as Mike Evans is lined up on the other side of the formation and Fitzpatrick is the good Ryan Fitzpatrick, I would suggest going out and finding Jackson on the waiver wire. Tampa Bay’s coaching staff had to see the Falcons were four missed red zone chances away from beating Philly last week. Expect them to get the home crowd roaring with an Air Raid start to the game as they look to bury the Eagles early and force Foles to beat them. So long as he keeps his interception habit under wraps, Fitzpatrick is a guy worth looking at for a start and Jackson is a good add.

Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers

In one of my leagues, Hill was sitting there at the top of the third round. I wanted to wait and draft him as my number two in the fourth round, but my gut told me to go for it. I am 1-0 heading into Week 2 because of it. In my other league, I got a low draft grade for “reaching” on Mahomes in the ninth round. For one week, I feel vindicated. There is still a chance my fears about his interceptions will surface in the face of a relentless Pittsburgh pass rush with Joe Haden following Hill all over the field, but man what a Week 1 he had. Andy Reid took a huge risk replacing Alex Smith coming off a career season with the young Mahomes. Yes, he could blame Smith’s postseason legacy (I would put on Reid myself), but it was a risk. The arm was on full display against the Chargers and even if it’s not this season, Mahomes, barring an injury, is a long term starting fantasy option. The one player left out of the fun was Hunt. Again with Pittsburgh’s pass rush, screens and draws the Hunt will be a necessity. So don’t go benching him yet.

James Conner looks to continue his remarkable start to the season. Kansas City’s defense is not as good as Cleveland’s (a sentence I never thought I would write), so he could have a monster game. Kansas City’s pass defense still looks vulnerable, so I imagine there will plenty of RPOs again this week. With Conner setting it up, Juju Smith Schuster had a 67 yard reception on an RPO out of the slot. A last second tackle left him with a 5 catch, 119 yard game instead of a 5 catch, 125 yard, one touchdown game. Kanas City does not have the luxury of switching up coverages. They must put their best corner on Antonio Brown, so make sure to start Smith Schuster if you have him.

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets

Kenny Stills is someone to watch after his 4 catch, 106 yard, two touchdown performance. Miami lacks a number one receiver, so if Stills steps up, he’s a guy to consider carrying on the bench or starting as a flex in a deep PPR league. There’s no reason to think he won’t emerge as Ryan Tannehill‘s favorite receiver. Stills was never a fantasy starter in New Orleans because of their incredible depth. With Jarvis Landry now in Cleveland, perhaps he is ready to emerge from his shadow. I’m not yet convinced, but I certainly was impressed with his Week 1 performance. The Jets embarrassed Matthew Stafford last week, leaving him wondering what in the name of Matt Patricia’s beard happened out there. It’s not often a veteran quarterback lays a five interception egg on national television. Adam Gase is probably going to expect a lot from Kenyan Drake this week. Though the ageless Frank Gore led them in rushing, Drake is the starter. So long as he doesn’t repeat his 14 carry, 40 yard performance this week.

When Sam Darnold threw a pick six on his very first pass in the NFL, I was ready to write an article ripping the Jets apart for trading Teddy Bridgewater. Thankfully I only have a Twitter account to promote my writing, not for live-Tweeting because the rest of the game showed a very poised young quarterback. I highly doubt he’s going to be asked to throw all that much this season, leaving his favorite Week 1 target Quincy Enunwa a player to watch (as well as leading contender for coolest name in sports). Isaiah Crowell had two touchdowns and 106 yards on only 10 carries. Amazingly this was two fewer carries than his backfield partner Bilal Powell. I expect more carries for him this week after such a big performance. It also remains to be seen who is going to catch passes out of the backfield in New York. I imagine it will be Crowell, but we don’t know yet. Eviscerating the Lions’ pass offense didn’t exactly allow a full look at the Jets’ offense.

Los Angeles Chargers at Buffalo Bills

Like Washington, Los Angeles showed a dynamic one-two punch in their backfield. Remember that low graded draft of mine I was talking about before? Another reason for the low grade was using my second to last pick on Austin Ekeler. After 5 catches for 87 yards and a touchdown, I think the algorithm owes me an apology. Melvin Gordon had a good game for himself with 15 carries for 64 yards to go with 9 receptions for 102 yards. It’s doubtful Buffalo will blitzkrieg the Chargers like Kansas City did, so look for more carries for Gordon. Ekeler will be the third down back and will get his receptions. If they get out to a big lead, he will probably get more of a share of the carries.

For the Bills, it seems needless to say Nathan Peterman did not put his 5 interception half behind him. I suppose the only saving grace of his poor Week 1 performance is at least he doesn’t have to face the Chargers again this week. Meaning the tape of those interceptions will be stored away for now. Now it’s time for the Josh Allen Era to begin. When I was covering the draft this offseason, I wanted to Browns to take Allen number one, only on the condition the Browns get a placeholder to hold down the job for a minimum of two seasons. I loved Allen’s arm but I doubted his ability to consistently hit the intermediate throws. Having watched his tape from the preseason, these fears have not subsided. He is the quarterback of the future in Buffalo and I truly believe will be a good one. I just can’t see it happening this year. He needs LeSean McCoy to be the McCoy of old and keep the pressure off of him. He also needs a coaching staff willing to slug it out and use the threat of his absolute cannon to keep the Chargers out of the box.

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers

Really the player to watch is Aaron Rodgers, let’s be completely honest here. It remains to be seen if he can play this week, though there is a very good chance Mike McCarthy is playing games with the Vikings. After all, the thought of preparing for Deshone Kizer and not Rodgers must have the elite defense in the Twin Cities licking their chops. If it is Rodgers that plays, then it will be interesting to see how Minnesota defends the Green Bay passing attack. Davante Adams may also be out this week, so the focus will fall on Randall Cobb. On his game winning touchdown against Da Bears he showed why Minnesota has to fear him. Few quarterbacks get rid of the ball quicker than Rodgers, meaning Minnesota must jam Cobb on the line. However, even this plan is tough because few quarterbacks and receivers can extend plays like Rodgers and Cobb. The Vikings are loaded at the safety position and move their safeties around better than any team (even New England with their Big Nickel Defense), so I imagine Jimmy Graham will have a bigger role this week. For all the strength they have in the defensive backfield, the Vikings don’t have anyone who is 6’7″. McCarthy should unleash Graham this week.

As for the Vikings, the defense overshadowed the offense in Week One. Like last season, I am willing to bet this is going to be a trend. One trend to watch in Week 1 with team’s starting a new quarterback is which receiver gets the most targets. For the Vikings and their new savior Kirk Cousins, that receiver turned out to be Adam Thielen with 12 targets. It’s worth watching again this week, especially going up against the very blitz happy Mike Pettine. As the pressure comes, it is necessary to see if Cousins still looks Thielen’s way. If Rodgers starts, the Vikings are going to want to keep the ball away from him. As such, they will need Dalvin Cook to produce more than 40 yards rushing and not to fumble the ball. If he doesn’t put forth a good game, veteran Latavius Murray is going to start siphoning away his carries.

Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints

I really have no idea what to make of the Browns’ offense. They were at their best when they were running the ball between the tackles. They had some success pushing the ball downfield towards the end of the game, leaving the middle of the field virtually unexplored on early downs. There were a fair amount of screens, one almost leading to a winning touchdown in overtime. There weren’t, in my mind, nearly enough. Not to mention pushing the ball downfield didn’t make a lot of sense in the rain. If this is what their passing game is going to look like, then they are in for a long season. That’s not a good fit for Tyrod Taylor. It’s also not a good fit for Baker Mayfield some day. Josh Allen would have been better for an Air Raid offense. The only way I can rationalize it is to assume they got desperate or the ball was too slippery for the intermediate routes. A game in a dome should show what their actual play is (I hope). This should give us a better understanding of both Carlos Hyde and David Njoku’s fantasy value (in Hyde’s case, he ran well, just not as much as he should have).

As for the Saints, it will be very interesting to see how they recover from being absolutely shredded by the Bucs in Week 1. Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas had great games despite the loss. This week I assume it will be much of the same. Kamara owners must have been excited to see him get the carries in the red zone. Perhaps even more than seeing his three total touchdowns. As for Thomas, he may not get 16 receptions again. He should still have plenty of targets. The Saints were embarrassed at home last week, there’s no way they play it safe against Cleveland. The Browns will try to control the clock, the Saints have to force them to play a shoot-out. I’m very curious to if Myles Garrett can slow them down. He looked good in the rain, Sean Payton must be brainstorming ways to keep him contained now that he’ll be on turf.

Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers

I’ve tried to think of a worse way for the Matt Patricia Era to have begun in Detroit. I honestly can’t think of one. Getting absolutely hammered by a team starting a 21 year old quarterback is about as bad as it gets. It’s even worse considering the game started with a pick six for Detroit. The revamped running game was not there. LaGarrette Blount is currently sitting with a -3 rushing yard total on the season. This game will show a couple of key fantasy storylines to follow: one, either Blount and the running game get it going and he becomes a good back-up. Or two, they continue to struggle and Kenny Golladay and Golden Tate match their Week 1 stats. Out of necessity, not as part of their scheme.

A lot of people are sounding the alarm on the 49ers saying they aren’t ready and the Jimmy G contract was a colossal waste of money. Let’s all calm down a bit. They are without their number one running back with McKinnon out for the season and they are trying to break in a new offensive line. It’s hard enough to do this in Week 1 against an average defense, it’s damn near impossible to do it against perhaps the best best defense in football. Not to mention in front of a home crowd still high off the miraculous Divisional Game last season. So, let’s back off and see how they do this week. And while Jimmy G may not be a fantasy starter quite yet, the same cannot be said for his tight end George Kittle. Even in a sloppy game, he built off of his strong finish last season. He’s still out there in a lot of leagues, go get him. The running game will come around, when it does so will the play action. Anyone who has seen the Shanahan offense in full gear knows what that means . . .

Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams

Wait a minute, you say, Josh Rosen hasn’t been named the starter in Arizona yet, has he? No, he has not. It’s only a matter of time though. Poor Sam Bradford. Who knows what he could have been had he ever been allowed to properly heal in college and St. Louis. What we do know, however, is what all that piss-poor medical advice turned him into. He’s a guy who checks down and rarely pushes the ball downfield. It’s not hard to imagine why. He’s been hurt so many times, he won’t take a big hit. That was his problem in Philly and in Minnesota, it has followed him to Arizona. The Cardinals are not going to leave the quarterback of the future on the bench for Bradford to throw out 20-34, 153 yard, one pick games all season. Just as they won’t waste any more years of Larry Fitzgerald‘s career. Rosen will take over. When this happens, David Johnson owners can breath a sigh of relief. He shouldn’t have many more games with only 9 carries.

It took a while for the Rams to get it going against the Raiders. Since they didn’t play their starters for a single snap in the preseason, it’s not hard to imagine why. Once they got it going, though, they showed why many people expect them to make a Super Bowl run. Jared Goff was efficient late and Todd Gurley looks like a top three fantasy back for the rest of the season. I don’t want to fall into a class sportswriter trap and start making wild predictions based on the first week of the season, but I have to wonder if other teams will watch what happened with the Rams are will also keep their starters out during the preseason. If this happens, then maybe fantasy owners won’t have to watch their top picks get hurt late in the preseason. I certainly would welcome that! Though, admitting my bias, I happen to detest the preseason and think it should be done away with. So, take what I just said with a grain of salt.

New England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars

Leonard Fournette is not practicing this week because of a hamstring injury. According to Doug Marrone, he still will play. Who knows if this is true or if he’s just trying to use the injury report to fake out the Lord Commander of Injury Report Fake Outs in Bill Belichick. Regardless of whether or not Fournette plays, it’s a good idea to try and find TJ Yeldon on the waiver wire. Either to start him or to see what happens with Fournette. It’s morally murky to hold Fournette owners hostage by holding on to Yeldon, but it is a strategy I’ve used before when someone in my league is holding on to an injured player. Fantasy strategy aside, there’s no way the Jaguars are going to risk another Super Bowl run by pushing Fournette early in the season. Yeldon is going to see more playing time, it’s just a matter of how much and how effective he will be. The Jaguars cannot rely solely on the running game to keep them afloat, they need Cole and Westbrook to step up in the passing game. I’m not saying they are receivers to go out and get right now. Just guys to watch and see if one becomes a viable bench option for when bye week season commences. The Patriots have spent two decades taking away an offenses best players, this is a good test of the Jacksonville receivers.

Tom Brady and Gronk played last week, hopefully taking the rumors of their Patriot exit out behind the shed once and for all (as if they will ever go away). The only real question with Gronk is how many games will he play this season. I’m not speculating an injury, there’s just no one else in the division on the same level as the Patriots (as has been the case since the Rex Ryan led Jets fell apart). I suppose there’s a chance the Jets pull a 2004 Steelers, riding tough defense, a strong running game, and a rookie game manager to a postseason berth. Still, they are nothing close to New England. If you’re wondering why Corey Coleman is on the list, I don’t blame you. It’s not clear if he will even play this week, but when he does, keep an eye on him. Whatever has happened in the past, there are few receivers will his speed. And there are few coaches better at resurrecting dead careers than Bill Belichick. Either he will be cut in a week or he will become a secret weapon. Just watch . . .

Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos

John Gruden’s second run with the Raiders did not get off to a great start. Derek Carr was decent, not close to great. Surprisingly, Amari Cooper was nowhere to be found with only one catch. Gruden said when he reviewed the tape, Cooper was open deep a few times, Carr just didn’t see it. While some would see this as a positive, I find it concerning. I hope Gruden doesn’t see him as just a vertical threat. He can be, sure. And he can be a good one. He also can be, and has been, a good overall receiver. Gruden needs to put Cooper in a position to make catches all over the field. Carr will benefit from this as well. Going up against a great defense in Denver featuring what could grow into a once in a generation pass rushing duo in Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, quick throws will be a necessity. Cooper must play a role in this.

The Broncos offense had a strange day. Case Keenum threw three interceptions, which is never a good way to start a season. He also threw three touchdown passes. I’m not really sure what to make of that. While he’s not going to be a fantasy option any time soon, he holds the fate of the Denver receivers in his hand. The good news out of Denver is that they, like Washington and the Los Angeles Chargers, seem to have one heck of a backfield duo with Royce Freeman and Philip Lindsay. They got the same amount of carries and produced similar results. Keenum doesn’t have to do much this season, just cut it out with the interceptions.

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

The Giants could only muster 15 points against the Jaguars. This was not the fault of OBJ or Saquon Barkley, which must be music in the ears of those who own them in fantasy. As I said last week, I’ve never trusted Eli Manning as a fantasy quarterback. All we can hope is that he doesn’t drag down the fantasy value of his teammates. So far so good on that front. Both players remain must starts against the Cowboys even though it might be a low scoring game. Even in a chess match, Barkley and Beckham will put up points. It just remains to be seen if they can add some touchdowns to their yardage totals.

The Cowboys only scored eight points in Week 1. As much as Dez Bryant wanted to taunt them, he wouldn’t have made a difference. The selfishness he put on display on social media is exactly why they don’t need or want him on their roster. Still, they aren’t going to keep up with Eagles, or maybe even the Redskins, if they are only scoring eight points a game. Elliot is going to need to get more than 15 carries for this to happen. Cole Beasley led them in receptions and played a strong game. It was apparent, however, how much Dak missed not Dez, but Jason Witten. Without his reliable presence, Dak looked lost on third downs. He’s going to need to build trust with someone else for the Cowboys offense to avoid becoming a fantasy football graveyard.

Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears

First off, Seattle needs to get it’s running game going, but for now the passing game may need to do. Even though the Bears pass rush looked deadly against Green Bay, the secondary still got shredded by Aaron Rodgers in the second half. Seattle wants to run the ball, they have ever since they picked Russell Wilson to start over Matt Flynn (show of hands, who else remembers that?). However, until they get a running game going, they may need to pass for a while. That makes this game against Chicago very interesting. With Doug Baldwin out, the pressure falls onto Dissly and Marshall. Marshall was listed as fourth on their depth chart, then ended up playing 65 percent of their offensive snaps with a touchdown catch. Like I said last week, his height is needed in the red zone. Look for him to keep it up. Dissly will continue to get catches as well, though he would be much better if the running game improves and it opens up some bootleg crossing patterns for him.

As I said above, the Bears pass rush looked really good. If the secondary improves as the season progresses, Chicago may once more have a defense it’s best to avoid starting your fantasy players against. Seattle will try to run more this week, so let’s see how they do as a run defense. The Packers under Mike McCarthy are not exactly the best running team in football. I saw some good things from Trubisky. While it’s not enough to even consider him as a fantasy option, it is a relief for those who own other players in the Chicago offense. At least they should a decent grasp of the Andy Reid system Matt Nagy brought along with him. All summer I said they were the fourth best team in the NFC North. After their performance Week 1 and, more importantly, Detroit’s performance, I’m not so sure about that anymore.